Immersive Experience: Artist Ompal Sansanwal Explores the Tranquility of Trees in New Solo Exhibition

There used to be no TV at the time, so my mother used to tell me stories of Ramayan and Mahabharat, Sansanwal told PTI.So in that environment, nature and mythology got mixed together for me. Figures of Krishna, Shiva, Arjuna and other mythological characters feature heavily in the 60-year-olds works along with elements like cityscapes, skylines and animals of a wide variety, including cows, birds and horses.

A childhood spent around trees and forests of Delhi's Mehrauli area and the mythological stories heard from his mother inspired artist Ompal Sansanwal to mix the two subjects in his artworks. At his first solo exhibition in 15 years, titled 'Jiva' and showcased at Bikaner House, Sansanwal has put together nearly 60 detailed paintings of trees where the long roots and branches heavy with leaves take on the shape of different stories that the artist tells.

"My story with trees began from my childhood. I used to go to the forest near my home with my mother. My primary school was also held under a tree. There used to be no TV at the time, so my mother used to tell me stories of Ramayan and Mahabharat," Sansanwal told PTI.

"So in that environment, nature and mythology got mixed together for me." Figures of Krishna, Shiva, Arjuna and other mythological characters feature heavily in the 60-year-old's works along with elements like cityscapes, skylines and animals of a wide variety, including cows, birds and horses. "The cities and other elements come from my travels. I don't know what cities are these, you can say they are within me," the painter said.

The acrylic and pen and ink on canvas or watercolour and pen and ink on canvas pieces, which generally take anywhere from two to six months, are striking for their intricate treatment and colours.

"Ompal Sansanwal is a pilgrim of the garden of trees. His love for the banyan tree propels him to roam Indian forests and quench his thirst as he translates his surroundings into private reflections," curator Uma Nair said. She added that the artist plays with the conceptual image of the tree as metaphor and allegory, translating its symbolism into the essence of humanity. "Inspired from the tales of the Puranas, his compositions of Govardhan, Shiva. Nandi and Krishna following in divine dictates are works of both reverence as well as the alchemy of divine inkling.

"The blending of botanics, art, and spiritual connotations in these paintings is punctuated by his impeccable sense of contour in threaded branches, lithe leaves and colour proficiency in rendering crowds and animated scenes," Nair added.

The exhibition, designed by Black Cube Gallery director Sanya Malik, will come to an end on May 3.

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